Analysts See Little Change In Africa Policy From Democratic Landslide

As U.S. democrats celebrated their recapture of the House of Representatives after 12 years in the minority, and watched final counts for critical Senate seats, Africans contemplated how the landslide might affect relations with their countries.

But analysts noted that the congressional transition of power wouldn't take effect until January - and that U.S. Africa policy has generally been bipartisan in nature.

But some Zimbabweans speculated that a change in Congress could lead to changes in immigration policy and influence administration policy on Zimbabwe itself.

Reporter Ndimyake Mwakalyelye of Studio 7 for Zimbabwe sought perspective from a leader in the Zimbabwean diaspora: Ralph Black, Texas-based chief representative in North America of the Movement for Democratic Change faction of Morgan Tsvangirai; and from political analyst Steve Morrison, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Morrison did not see significant change arising from the Democratic victory, but saw an opening for stronger action by the congressional Black Caucus - though warning that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan would take precedence over other causes.